TODD SEAVEY
author of Libertarianism for Beginners and writer of/speaker about many other things

Friday, July 25, 2008

X-Files-o-phile

I should have stopped watching the show in the middle of season six, when a major conspiratorial cabal was exterminated, but like a dwindling handful of suckers (who wanted to believe Chris Carter had a coherent master plan, even though his characters’ basic motivations would sometimes change between episodes in two-parters), I kept watching for a full nine seasons — and yeah, I figure I may as well go see the movie that’s out today.

(Of course, I’m worried it’ll do little or nothing to tie up the loose threads from the lame ending of the series, about an impending alien invasion and Mulder and Scully being framed for murder by the government — especially since David Duchovny told me when I saw him in a bar once that the film will have nothing to do with aliens.)

Just before I lost my faith, I wrote an article for HealthFactsAndFears (the blog I edit at work) about X-Files being good TV but bad science. Check it out, and you’ll see I appended a footnote thousands of words long summarizing the entire nine-year conspiracy up to just prior to the show’s end.

And if you think that’s nerdy, you’re absolutely right — and I’ll say more about nerds in general one week from today, when my Book Selections of the Month for August will be American Nerd and Being Logical. Be there or get probed.

1 comment:

Dee Lightful
said...

Hi: Start by introducing the differences between geeks and nerds. Then please deconstruct these idiotic terms. I find people so (bleeping) annoying who go out of their way to make sure that you get that they are geek. You know, such as “… but then again, I’m a geek.” to which I say: “Oh I know, you are so geek. You are so good at it too.” AND “… what can I say, I’m a nerd.” to which I say: “Of course, you do those nerdy things… how intellectual of you.” AND “I was listening to Zamfir’s The Lonely Shepherd before all those punk kids heard it off of the Kill Bill soundtrack. Before it was popular, you know?” after which I grab them by the throat and scream “Leave me alone and forget about classifying anyone. This is the age of the internet where everyone has their own interests. You are possibly using these labels to prop yourself up, you unspecial (bleep). Go mate with a jock. Give us something new already.”